The Princess's New Year Wedding (The Princess Brides 1)

With a sharp intake of breath he said, “After that fabulous meal, I’m going to do the dishes while you relax. When I’ve finished, are you up for another game of cards before we go to bed?”

“Yes.”

He eyed her in amusement. “I was thinking of playing Briscola. Let’s play for higher stakes.”

“You’re on.” Her eyes glowed like gems.

Stefano’s mind went back to the planning stage of this supposedly quick trip to the mountains. After two days his intention had been to take her on a sterile drive to the Mediterranean while they made desultory talk trying to get to know each other.

Not in his wildest dreams would he have imagined being snowed in with Lanza enjoying a domestic scene like this with a wife who thrilled him. Eager to join her, he finished up in record time, but when he went to get the cards, he saw that she’d already taken them from the breakfront and was looking at the back side of one.

“What’s caught your eye?” He sat down next to her.

“The drawings of clubs and swords. And of course denari for gambling. But I guess that’s not unusual considering it was the warriors who passed time playing cards until their next war.”

Everything she said was unexpected and kept him fascinated. “What would you have drawn?”

“I have no talent, but my sister Fausta does. She would probably have designed the heads of dogs and birds. She’s a wonderful artist and could sell her work.” Lanza looked up at him. “If you’re ready, I’ll deal.” The glint in her eye told him she was prepared to do battle and would give him no quarter.

At the end of three rounds, he’d won the first two, but she won the last one. “Bravo, Lanza. Let’s go another round.”

“I’m in, but I swear you’re better at this than I am. Do you play cards a lot during your downtime at the mining camps?”

“Hardly ever. Mostly I eat and sleep after putting in twenty hours work a day.”

“Do the wives join their husbands at the camps? I’m talking about your managers.”

“No. There’d be nothing for the women to do.”

“Does

that mean you would never take me with you?”

He stared hard at her. “I can promise you wouldn’t be happy. It’s not a place to be if you don’t have a job there.”

“Could you give me one? I enjoyed learning about the things you told me in your emails. Your work is so important I’d like to be a part of it if I could. At night we could be together whether it’s in a tent or sleeping in the out of doors. The six weeks you have to be gone on your various trips wouldn’t matter if we were together.”

Stefano couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What if you became pregnant?”

“Then I’d travel with you until I couldn’t.”

“Your family wouldn’t approve.”

“But you’re my husband. I vowed to honor you.”

Perhaps it could work since his wife wanted her freedom. All along she’d maintained that was what she craved. With Stefano’s influence, his new father-in-law might not be averse to Lanza traveling with him once in a while.

To have his wife at the mines and go to bed with her every night would be heaven for him. But he’d have to figure out a job she could do. It was something to think about.

They played another round, and she won. “Now that I’m the winner, will you promise to figure out a job for me to do when you have to leave for your next mine visit?”

“That will be in Argentina.”

“Hmm. I’ve never been there, but I’ve studied Spanish with my language tutor.”

“I promise to see what I can do.”

She got up from the floor. “It’s been a wonderful day. I’m going to say good-night and hope you get a good sleep.”